Les Heidke Explained

Position:Forward
Club1:Wide Bay
Club2:Tivoli
Club3:West End
Club4:Rialto
Teama:Queensland
Yearastart:1928
Yearaend:41
Appearancesa:43
Teamb:Ipswich
Yearbstart:1932
Yearbend:46
Appearancesb:53
Triesb:20
Goalsb:0
Fieldgoalsb:0
Pointsb:60
Teamc:Australia
Yearcstart:1932
Yearcend:38
Appearancesc:9
Triesc:0
Goalsc:0
Fieldgoalsc:0
Pointsc:0
Source:[1]

Les Heidke, also known by the nickname of "Monty", was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. An Australian international and Queensland interstate representative forward, he played club football in the Ipswich Rugby League for the Tivoli, West End and Rialto clubs, as well as for Wide Bay. Heidke retired with the most games for Queensland against New South Wales in history.

Les Heidke's father was 1908 Kangaroo William Heidke[2] and his uncle was Harold Heidke, who also played for Australia.

In 1928 Heidke first represented Queensland in the annual three-match series against New South Wales. In 1932 Heidke became Kangaroo No. 172[3] when, during the 1932 Great Britain Lions tour he was selected to play for Australia at second-row forward against Great Britain in the Ashes series' second and third test matches.Heidke was ruled out of the 1933–34 Kangaroo tour with a poisoned leg, caused by a bite from a red-back spider.[4]

During the 1936 Great Britain Lions tour Heidke was selected to play as a for Australia in all three Ashes tests.

Between 1932 and 1946, Heidke represented Ipswich in the Bulimba Cup a record 53 times, scoring 20 tries.[5]

Heidke's 11-year-old son died on 7 July 1946.[6]

In 2008, rugby league in Australia's centenary year, Heidke was named on the bench of the Bundaberg Rugby League's team of the century.[7]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/les-heidke/summary.html Rugby League Project
  2. Web site: qrl.com.au. Queensland Representative Players. History. Queensland Rugby League. 6 November 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20111201055656/http://www.qrl.com.au/default.aspx?s=history-players. 1 December 2011.
  3. Web site: australianrugbyleague.com.au. Player Register. Kangaroos. Australian Rugby League. 6 November 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110927000601/http://www.australianrugbyleague.com.au/kangaroos/register.php. 27 September 2011.
  4. Web site: Top 10 Unusual Injuries. centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au. Australian Rugby League. 7 January 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120317203409/http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/get-involved/top-tens/top-ten-unusual-injuries.aspx. 17 March 2012. dmy-all.
  5. Book: J E Christison. Ipswich Rugby League: The Bulimba Cup Era 1925 to 1972. 2009. 978-0-9806074-0-6.
  6. News: Goodman. Tom. Match At Town Out Of Work. 6 November 2011. The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 July 1946.
  7. Web site: BRL Team of the Century named. sportingpulse.com. Bundaberg Rugby League Ltd.. 8 January 2012.